The key is trust

- Institutions that we head are guardians of the public trust – said the President of the Supreme Audit Office of Poland, Krzysztof Kwiatkowski at the conference organised in Bucharest by the Romanian Court of Accounts. NIK President stressed the increasing advisory role of Supreme Audit Institutions and the resulting social benefits. The meeting of the EU SAI presidents was arranged as part of the current Romanian EU Presidency. Its motto is ”Cohesion, a Common European Value”, understood as unity, equal treatment and convergence of the EU nations in the area of economy and culture.

- Institutions that we head are guardians of the public trust - said the President of the Supreme Audit Office of Poland, Krzysztof Kwiatkowski at the conference organised in Bucharest by the Romanian Court of Accounts. NIK President stressed the increasing advisory role of Supreme Audit Institutions and the resulting social benefits. The meeting of the EU SAI presidents was arranged as part of the current Romanian EU Presidency. Its motto is ”Cohesion, a Common European Value”, understood as unity, equal treatment and convergence of the EU nations in the area of economy and culture.

NIK President Krzysztof Kwiatkowski at the congress in Romania

The main theme of the Bucharest meeting was to improve audit activities and to increase the advisory role of the EU Supreme Audit Institutions, to the benefit of the society. President Kwiatkowski presented the relevant Polish experience. First of all, the society is more and more aware that the activities of SAIs significantly enhance its capacity to enforce the performance of tasks and obligations by the authorities. Effectiveness of such activities is reflected in the results of surveys concerning trust towards SAIs. As an example Krzysztof Kwiatkowski discussed the results of the March survey regarding trust for the public institutions in Poland, according to which the number of respondents positively assessing the work of NIK increased in course of the year to almost 50%. This trend is most visible among the youngest survey participants. The Office proved on several occasions that it is independently involved in the strengthening process of the state operations. One of the recent issues concerns high pollution level in Poland. The audits conducted by NIK showed that Poland is among the most air-polluted EU countries. Therefore, NIK concluded an agreement with the UN Global Compact and the Smog Alarm, in order to raise awareness amongst the Poles, on how big of a treat polluted air actually is. NIK also organised an anti-smog congress, during which scientists, representatives of the government, senior citizens and local government officials discussed threats and protection methods regarding pollution.

NIK is involved in the development of the so called family businesses, as well. According to the audit conducted last year, the introduced legal regulations were needed, however they did not concern issues the most awaited by entrepreneurs, and thus only minimally contributed to the eradication of the present legal barriers for the development of family companies. Therefore, NIK organised a panel during which scientists, entrepreneurs and representatives of the government debated how to facilitate the operation of family businesses. The detailed discussion report was presented as attachment to the relevant audit report.

Prime Minister of Romania - Ms Viorica Dăncilă - opens the congress

- The Supreme Audit Office, which I am honoured to head, strives to actively participate in the discussion concerning the effectiveness of the government actions with regard to both the achievement of the planned results, as well as the optimisation of selected activities aimed to efficiently achieve the set objectives - said the President of NIK concluding his speech at the meeting of the heads of the EU SAIs in Bucharest.

The conference was also an occasion to present and promote the Polish candidature to the Governing Board of INTOSAI.

Seyit Ahmet Bas - President of EUROSAI and President of the Turkish Court of Accounts, Krzysztof Kwiatkowski - President of NIK, Vice-President of EUROSAI

- The term of office of the current INTOSAI Governing Board Members ends in three months. Therefore, I submitted the application of NIK to represent Europe in the next Governing Board. I will make every effort for our candidature to be supported by the EUROSAI Governing Board, and what follows, a positive decision of the INTOSAI Congress, concerning this honourable and highly responsible position - said the President of the Supreme Audit Office of Poland.